The present invention is directed toward an electrical connector and, more particularly, toward an electrical grid interconnector which is adapted to electrically and mechanically interconnect two electrical conductors such as an electrical transmission conductor to a distribution conductor.
The present applicant is the inventor in U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,222 issued Nov. 15, 1983. The subject matter of this patent is illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings as prior art. The disclosure in the applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,415,222 is hereby incorporated by reference into this patent application.
In summary, the applicant's prior patent discloses an electrical connector which utilizes a C-shaped clamp body member 10 which includes a bottom wall 11, a flat rear wall 12 and a downwardly curved top wall 13. The electrical connector of the applicant's prior patent further includes a wedge 14. The wedge 14 is moved axially of the body member 10 by means of a screw 15 passing through and journaled within a tab 16. One end of the screw 15 is threaded into a threaded bore 17 at its first end and works against the wedge at its opposite end as the screw 15 is turned by means of a nut 18 engaging the outside edge of the tab 16. Thus, as the screw member 15 is rotated by means of the nut 18 and is threaded within the threaded bore 17 of the body member 10, the wedge will advance. As the wedge 14 advances, the under surface 20 of the wedge 14 engages the upper surface 21 of the body member thus advancing the upper surface 21 of the wedge upwardly toward the curved top wall 13.
The electrical connector of the applicant's patent is designed to interconnect mechanically and electrically an upper conductor 22 and lower conductor 23 disposed in parallel relationship. The upper surface of conductor 22 is designed to engage the downwardly curved top wall 13 of the clamp body member whereas the lower surface of the lower conductor 23 engages a complementary elongate recess 24 (shown in FIG. 2) of the wedge 14.
Disposed between the upper conductor 22 and lower conductor 23 is a parallel conductor interface insert 25..The conductor interface insert 25 includes a conductor engaging upper surface 28 having formed therein a conductor engaging recess 29 which engages the upper conductor 22. In a like manner, the conductor interface insert 25 includes a conductor engaging lower surface 30 having formed therein a conductor engaging recess 31.
As the screw 15 is advanced relative to the clamp body member 10, the wedge will bring the upper surface 21 of the wedge into contact with the conductor 23 which, in turn, comes into engagement with the conductor engaging recess 31 of the conductor interface insert 25. In a like manner, the conductor engaging recess 29 of the conductor engaging insert 25 comes into engagement with the lower surface of the conductor 22 ultimately forcing the upper surface thereof into engagement with curved top wall 13.
The conductor interface insert 25 includes a tang 32 extending outwardly therefrom. The tang 32 is used in conjunction with a hot stick which grips the tang and is used to insert the tang between the conductors while the conductors are electrically charged. In a like manner, the nut 18 can drive the screw 15 by means of an insulated wrench mechanism to permit installation of the electrical connector with the conductors alive.
The electrical connector of the applicant's invention works exceedingly well with parallel conductors. However, to interconnect conductors at a transverse or perpendicular angle, an entirely different connector must be utilized. This is obviously a drawback in that a utility company or other concern utilizing such conductors must maintain a complete supply of two totally separate connectors. Accordingly, what is needed in the industry is a universal connector that will connect both parallel and perpendicular conductors.